Sectional boat.



No. 729,641. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1903 B. MQMONAGLE.

SEGTIONAL BOAT.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented Tune 2, 1903.

.PATENT OFFICE.

SECTIONAL BOAT. v

SPEGIF ICATION fOrming part of Letters Patent No. 729,641, dated June 2,1903. Applicationfiled February 10, 1903. Serial No. 142,779. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNARD MOMONAGLE, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Sectional Boats, of which the following is a specification.

More particularly my invention relates to sectional boats, such as are usedfor lightering or freight-carrying, in which the boat is composed of two or more wholly independent sections fastened together by ropes or otherwise. As now commonly constructed the abutting ends of such boat-sections are formed with vertical ribs adjacent to the outside, the ribs of one section being located within the ribs of the other, so that when the two sections are roped together the ribs in the end of one section will engage the ribs of the other. This construction is intended to prevent excessive lateral movement of one section with reference to the other and tohold the sections close together and in practical alinement. These ribs also act as buffers when the sections are forced in contact with one another. With such a construction not only is the jar due to the contact of the boat-sections transmitted directly by these ribs to the ends of the sections, but whenever any section is subjected to any material lateral displacement with reference to the adjacent sections a great lateral strain is imposed upon the vertical rib and is transmitted by it directly to the side of the section, which often results in serious injury and the springing of leaks.

It is the'object of my invention to entirely overcome this difficulty by dispensing entirely with these engaging and buffer ribs, such. as are now employed, and introducing between the abutting ends of the sections a water-cushion buffer, which will not only prevent the ends of the sections coming into violent contact with one another, but will materially overcome the lateral displacement of one section with reference to another and greatly reduce the strain on the boat-frames.

In carrying out my invention I provide the abutting ends of either one or both sections with a framework forming a water-pocket,

' open at the bottom and outer face, in which the water, forced by the coming together of the two sections, will be confined to an extent sufiicient to form a water-cushion against the end of the opposite section. Sucha watercushion will prevent the violent contact of the boats and will also, to a large degree, overcome any tendency of lateral displacement of one section with reference to the other.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a sectional boat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one of the sections, illustrating one form of my cushioningbuffer; and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating different forms.

a b are the boat-sections, which are usually united together by ropes c 0, passed about cleats orposts (Z. Theabutting ends of the boat-sections are provid ed with the water cushioning frames, which consists of projecting ribs 6, secured to the ends of the sections and arranged to confine the water between them, and thus form a water-cushion between the ends of the sections when they tend to come together. These projecting ribs 6 may be arranged in a variety of ways to accomplish the desired result, In the preferred form they are as shown in Fig. 2, consisting of two vertical ribs and a cross-rib, forming an inverted- U shaped framework open at the bot tom. Then two sections provided with cor responding ribs of this form tend to come in contact, the water will be thrown up into the U shaped pocket formed by the ribs and being confined therein will have a cushioning action which will materially reduce the jamming and straining of the sections.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the projecting ribwork is shown of inverted-V shape and the action will be the same as that of the ribwork shown in Fig. 2. It is not necessary, however, that the buffer framework should be entirely closed at the top, and satisfactory results can be obtained from a ribwork of the form shown in Fig. 4, which consists of a series of separate vertical ribs e. In such case, while the water is not confined at the top, the lateral confinement produced by the vertical ribs will be sufficient to produce an effective cushioning effect. r

WVhile I prefer to provide the abutting ends of both sections with corresponding watercushioning pockets, the cushioning efiect, though in less degree, may be obtained when the cushioning-pocket is formed on one section only.

ICO

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is as follows:

1. A water-cushion buffer for sectionat carried by the end of the boat-section and forming with the end of the section a vertical Water-pocket closed at the top and sides and open at the bottom and adapted to confine the water and form a water-cushion for the end of the adjacent boat-section.

4. A sectional boat having the ends of abutting sections provided with a series of correspondingly disposed projecting ribs adapted to confine the Water between them and form a water-cushion between the'ends of said abutting sections.

5. A sectional boat having the ends of abutting sections provided with a series of correspondingly disposed projecting ribs forming a framework open at the bottom and closed at the top and sides and adapted to confine the water between them and form a water-cushion between the ends of said abutting sections.

In testimony of which invention Ihereunto set my hand.

, v B; MoMoNAeLn Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER;

R. M. KELLY. 

